Glenoid components and associated methods

Abstract

A glenoid prosthetic component includes a bearing body for a prosthetic or bony humeral head. The bearing body includes a main portion for articulation with the humeral head and a peripheral portion extending about the main portion. A connection portion resides between the main portion and the peripheral portion and is mechanically weakened in order, in service, to elastically deform relative to the rest of the bearing body under the action of the humeral head.

1 . A glenoid prosthetic component comprising a bearing body for a prosthetic or natural humeral head, the bearing body having a first face for bearing against the humeral head and a second face opposite the first face and the bearing body including a main portion for articulation with the humeral head, a peripheral portion surrounding the main portion, and a connection portion between the main portion and the peripheral portion, the connection portion being mechanically weakened such that the connection portion is elastically deformable relative to the rest of the bearing body under loading by the humeral head. 
     
     
         2 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the connection portion is mechanically weakened along an entire periphery of the bearing body. 
     
     
         3 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the connection portion is mechanically weakened along a portion of a periphery of the bearing body. 
     
     
         4 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the connection portion is mechanically weakened along a plurality of segments along a periphery of the bearing body. 
     
     
         5 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the connection portion is mechanically weakened by at least one groove delimited in the second face of the bearing body. 
     
     
         6 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the connection portion is mechanically weakened by at least one furrow delimited in the second face of the bearing body. 
     
     
         7 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the peripheral portion defines a convex surface on the first face of the bearing body and the connection portion defines a concave surface on the first face of the bearing body. 
     
     
         8 . The component of  claim 7 , wherein the main portion defines a concave surface on the first face of the bearing body, the curvature of the concave surface of the main portion being smaller than the concave surface of the connection portion. 
     
     
         9 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the second face of the bearing body is adapted to bear against and be secured to the bone of a glenoid socket. 
     
     
         10 . The component of  claim 1 , wherein the bearing body is a single, unitary piece. 
     
     
         11 . A kit of parts for a shoulder prosthesis, the kit including at least two glenoid prosthetic components, wherein each glenoid component comprises a bearing body for a prosthetic or natural humeral head, the bearing body having a first face for bearing against the humeral head and a second face opposite the first face and the bearing body including a main portion for articulation with the humeral head, a peripheral portion surrounding the main portion, and a connection portion between the main portion and the peripheral portion, the connection portion being mechanically weakened such that the connection portion is elastically deformable relative to the rest of the bearing body under loading by the humeral head, wherein in at least one direction passing through two portions of the connection portions of the glenoid prosthetic components that are diametrically opposite to the central regions of the main portions of the glenoid prosthetic components, the bearing bodies of the glenoid prosthetic components have different dimensions. 
     
     
         12 . A method of implanting a shoulder prosthesis, the method comprising:
 securing a bearing body of a glenoid prosthetic component to a glenoid socket, the bearing body having a first face for bearing against the humeral head and a second face opposite the first face that is secured against the glenoid socket;   loading a peripheral portion of the bearing body with a humeral head to elastically deform a connection portion of the bearing body that resides between the peripheral portion and a main portion of the bearing body, the connection portion being mechanically weakened relative to the rest of the bearing body; and   unloading the peripheral portion of the bearing body such that the connection portion elastically recovers.   
     
     
         13 . A method of implanting a shoulder prosthesis, the method comprising:
 securing a bearing body of a glenoid prosthetic component to a glenoid socket, the bearing body having a first face for bearing against the humeral head and a second face opposite the first face secured against the glenoid socket;   loading a peripheral portion of the bearing body with a humeral head to elastically deform a connection portion of the bearing body that resides between the peripheral portion and a main portion of the bearing body, the connection portion being mechanically weakened relative to the rest of the bearing body; and   unloading the peripheral portion of the bearing body such that the connection portion elastically recovers.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein loading the peripheral portion of the bearing body with a humeral head includes loading the peripheral portion of the bearing body with an artificial humeral head. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein loading the peripheral portion of the bearing body with a humeral head includes loading the peripheral portion of the bearing body with a natural humeral head. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising securing the bearing body of the glenoid prosthetic component to the glenoid cavity such that the connection portion is positioned outside of a periphery of the glenoid cavity. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising securing the bearing body of the glenoid prosthetic component to the glenoid cavity such that the connection portion is aligned with a periphery of the glenoid cavity. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising securing the bearing body of the glenoid prosthetic component to the glenoid cavity such that the connection portion is positioned inside of a periphery of the glenoid cavity. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein loading a peripheral portion of the bearing body with a humeral head to elastically deform the connection portion of the bearing body includes causing edges of a groove formed into the second face to move closer to one another. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein loading a peripheral portion of the bearing body with a humeral head to elastically deform the connection portion of the bearing body includes causing edges of a furrow formed into the first face to move closer to one another.